Chapter 5

Her eyes stopped at his chest, and that was all it took for the heat to rise at an alarming speed inside her body. His body was long and lean and reminded her of a panther.

Dark hairs were dusting on the rippling muscles that bunched each time he moved.

Averting her gaze from seeing him tugging at his belt and removing his trousers, she turned her attention to the spectacular view before her. She concentrated fiercely on the city"s twinkling lights.

Her heart was pounding painfully inside her chest, and she was weak with longing. This intense feeling of overpowering lust was making her edgy and nervous.

"You may look now." The amused sound of his deep accented voice dragged her eyes from the view as he climbed into bed beside her. "Are you disappointed, love?"

"I will not satisfy your perversity by answering that question." She told him primly. "You probably have hundreds of women telling you how good you look."

"I just need to hear it from one, you." His green eyes were smoldering as they took in the lush beauty lying next to him, and the only thing he could think of was that she was finally here where she belonged.

"I am not afraid to say that you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

Ignoring the plunging of her heart, she managed to scoff. "I bet you say that to all the women you sleep with."

"How many do you think there are?"

"Hundreds."

His deep chuckle warmed her heart. "Minus a zero at least. Shall I ask you about your former lovers?"

"You can ask."

To his surprise, he smiled at her expression and realized that even though he was dying to sink deep into her, he was enjoying the conversation. "How many?"

"I am not going to answer that."

Trailing a finger down her cheek, he fixed his eyes on hers. "I am not going to judge you."

Her tapered eyebrows lifted, and a reluctant smile touched her lips. "I would not care."

"Were they any good or just mediocre? What? I would like to know what I am up against."

"I cannot believe we are having this conversation."

"Me either." Bending his head, he followed the trail of his finger and brushed his lips over her smooth cheek. "How do they rate?" He whispered against her lips.

"There has been only one." She found herself whispering as he nibbled at the seams of her lips. His head jerked up, the shock on his face evident.

"Pardon?"

"I refuse to repeat myself, and you can stop looking at me as if I am some kind of freak." She started to move away from him, but he held her fast.

"How the bloody hell is that possible? Are the men in this country blind?"

"I am very selective."

"I am very selective."

Landen could not believe it. The woman lying next to him was beautiful and sexy and he was having a difficult time keeping his hands off her.

Iti It struck him that she was here with him, even though she knew he would be gone in three weeks. It did something peculiar to his heart and made him want to treasure their time together.

"Well?"

His eyes drifted to her face as if he memorized her features. "You have a tiny mole, a slight defect on an otherwise perfect face." He teased her shakily as he bent to kiss the almost invisible black mark at the side of her nose.

He teased her shakily as he bent to kiss the almost invisible black mark at the side of her nose. "I will endeavor not to allow it to turn me off."

She turned into him, her hands reaching up to touch his chest.

"Don't stop, love," he whispered hoarsely when she hesitated. "I love the feel of your hands on me. That's it, baby."

He brushed his lips over hers gently, sending shivers along her spine and goosebumps on her skin. "I need your tongue." Her breath was driving him close to insanity, but he was determined to take his time.

He wanted this to be memorable for both of them. And he would forget home and the realities and responsibilities that invariably came with it.

For the next few weeks, he was going to give her pleasure and teach her to do the same. Her tongue ventured slowly into his mouth as if teasing him or testing the territory.

A gasp escaped her when he boldly plunged his tongue inside her mouth, the kiss taking on a passion that was escalating beyond their wildest imaginations.

She turned into his arms, and her hands went around his neck, fingers digging into the nape. Ending the kiss, he shifted down so that he could taste her nipples. Cupping each breast in his hands, he found himself studying the flawless skin and the large, dark nipples.

Tamping down the disquieting feeling settling over him, he bent his head and brushed his lips over the nipple, loving the way it peaked against his flesh. Tugging the pebble of hard flesh into his mouth, he felt when his control broke.

Pulling it between his teeth, he suckled hard enough to cause her to arch against him, her fingers digging into his thick, dark hair. Her body moved restlessly beneath his as he switched to the other nipple and gave it the same thorough treatment.

"Landen-"

"Soon," he promised; lifting his mouth, he sidled downward to kiss her quivering stomach.

"What are you doing?" She sounded panicked, her fingers clutching at his shoulders as if trying to get him to stop.

"Worshiping your body." He chuckled, blowing in her navel and sending heat to the core of her.

Nothing in her limited experience had ever prepared her for this. Her only relationship had been merely satisfactory, and the climax had been something that left her feeling slightly dissatisfied as if there should be much more.

"No. I can't- Just stop! Oh God!" She reared up when he pressed his mouth between her legs.

"Relax." His excitement was mounting, his heart hammering so loudly that it drowned everything else. Her body lifted when he started to use his tongue on her. She never thought she could feel hotter than she was right now, but she was mistaken.

When his tongue dipped inside her, she exploded, her fingers dragging at his hair, her body bucking against his mouth.

She felt as if she was poised on the edge of a cliff and was being shoved to fall without a safety net.

Her body was trembling violently, her heart racing. Climbing on top of her, Landen took in the parted lips and the tears shimmering in the dark brown eyes, and his heart was twisted into knots.

She was the most passionate woman he had ever been with, and he had been with his fair share. Lifting his hips, he entered her slowly, eyes holding hers, his body rigid as he fought for control.

This was a first for him, too. His control was in shreds, and he was sure that as soon as he entered her fully, it was going to be all over. He did not want that. But it had to be now. Bending his head, he seized her lips in a savage kiss as he simultaneously drove into her.

His body stiffened in shock as her tightness gripped him, pulling him in until he was mindless with a passion so intense that he felt as if he was being incinerated.

Dragging his mouth from hers, he fought to slow things down and tried valiantly to regain the control that had been snatched away from him. Rolling his forehead on hers, he sucked air into his lungs, his eyes closed tight.

"Bloody hell!" He whispered thickly. A shaky laugh escaped him when she chose that moment to wrap her slender legs around his waist. With no other choice, he was forced to move. She was so tight that he was afraid he was hurting her.

Lifting his head, he brushed his lips against hers slowly, moving back and forth as he tried to slow things down. But when she lifted her hips, he lost the battle. Driving into her, he captured her moans as she exploded again, her fingers digging into his shoulders and then his back.

He came then, his body shuddering on top of hers as he shot his load into her.

He could not move and still kissed her even when the storm passed. Finally ending the kiss, he shifted so that he was lying beside her, their bodies still intimately joined.

Her face was buried in his chest; one hand curled on his chest. Landen stared up at the arched ceiling, a frown touching his brow. He had been reckless.

It had been drummed in his mind since he could remember that he was a Chapman, and as such, he had to be extremely cautious.

He never had sex without using protection, but tonight he had, and he did not give a damn about the consequences. His heart quivered as he reflected on his parents' reaction.

They would be apoplectic if they knew what he was up to.

He could never go up to them and introduce Tessa as someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Shifting his head, he pointed his chin down to look at her.

"I have a question," he said quietly.

"Why am I not surprised?" She countered huskily, still with her face buried in his chest.

"Because you are beginning to realize I am curious?" He said teasingly.

"What's the question?"

"The relationship you had before-"

"Is none of your business."

Tucking his fingers beneath her chin, he forced her to look at him. "I am afraid it is." He told her quietly, green eyes steady on hers. "I noticed two things. When I went down on you, it felt as if it was your first time."

"So?" She challenged.

"That answers that question. The second one is this, which I find difficult to grasp. Was it your first time having an orgasm?"

She tried to wrench her chin away from him, but he held on. "So?" She repeated, eyes shying away from him.

Landen felt his heart splintering inside his chest. She was lethal and he had no idea how this was going to pan out. Initially, he thought of this as a fling, but the joke was on him.

"I am happy I was the one who was able to accomplish it."

"It's no big deal."

"Isn't it?" Pushing her back, he settled on top of her, a chuckle escaping him when her eyes widened.

"I am amazed, myself." The evidence of his throbbing arousal was proof of how ready he was again. "You did this." Lowering his head, he nibbled on her bottom lip, sending electrical jolts throughout her body. "You light a fire inside me that is proving to be unquenchable. God help us both."

*****

Carefully removing her slender limbs from around him, he slid off the bed and sat on the side, staring at her. They had dropped into exhausted sleep when the rosy tint of dawn was edging the sky.

Now, it was almost eleven, and she was still fast asleep.

He feasted his eyes on her slender curves, admiring the gently curving hip and the shapely legs.

She was half lying on her stomach, making it possible for him to see the curve of her breast. Her hair was tangled and partially covering her brow. Lifting a hand, he brushed it away gently.

The constriction settled inside his chest as he continued to stare at her. He was not going to think about leaving her, leaving here. He still had time and was not about to waste a minute of it.

He would insist that they spend their free moments with each other. His features became tense as he realized that he would have to keep their relationship a secret, which meant he could not take her out to dinner or the theater.

He was an opera aficionado, and he loved the theater. He wondered if she did.

He also realized that he did not know anything about her.

He could ask, but that would mean revealing portions of his life he was not sure he wanted her to know, like the fact that he could never take her to meet his family or that a wife had already been chosen for him.

Rising, he stood at the side of the bed, staring at her. He had made love to her several times without using anything. And now that he had, there was no way he was ever going to. He could still feel her tightness wrapped around him like a glove.

Turning away, he descended the steps and went to get dressed. He would get coffee going. He had stopped at the pastry place and had a variety of goodies they could have for breakfast.

He would persuade her to spend the rest of the day with him. He would send and order something from that delightful French restaurant he had discovered a few days ago.

He had just set the coffee up when his phone rang. His shoulders stiffened, and he knew who it was before turning the phone over. His parents had a routine they did not break from, come hell or high water.

They would rise at eight to attend early morning mass and then return for breakfast. Afterward, his mother would go and have tea with several of the women on her committee. Then, they would each nap in their separate suite to rest up for supper at precisely eight.

"Father." He murmured into the phone as he measured the coffee pods.

"You have not checked in for two days." There was no greeting, no ‘How are you doing, son?' and he should be used to it, but it left a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach.

The call shadowed the memories of last night and the morning he had spent with that beautiful woman upstairs.

"I was busy."

There was a pregnant pause, and Landen waited. "I was under the assumption you were on vacation."

"I am. I was busy visiting friends and going to parties."

Another pregnant pause had him tensing up.

"I am counting on you to be discreet and not shame the family name."

"God forbid I would do any such thing," Landen said bitterly. "I drank champagne and cavorted on a friend's yacht. And I made certain to stay away from the few reporters present. Is that acceptable?"

The sarcasm went right over the man's head, as usual. "Perfectly. We are expecting you home in two weeks."

"Three."

"You have responsibilities-"

"Which I am sure can wait until my return."

"We have invited Sara and her parents over for supper to get to know the young lady better."

Landen closed his eyes in weary resignation. "Isn't that a little premature? I have not agreed to marry this woman."

"You will. Now I have to go. I will tell your mother you are well."

Hanging up the phone, he went to pour himself a cup of coffee. Perhaps he should change his number, he thought moodily, but his parents would just send someone over to search for him, and there were some damn good investigators in the company. Taking the coffee back, he moved around the wide malachite counter and sat down.

Inviting Sara and her parents over was tantamount to saying that the deal was done, that they were already betrothed. Which was pissing him off royally.

"Problems?" The soft, cultured voice had him jolting. He had been so mired in his troubled thoughts that he had not heard her approach.

"Pardon?"

Her tapered brows lifted. His frown was on his face, and his accent was more pronounced, making him sound frightfully formal and distant. "Is the coffee that bad?"

"I apologize." He tried to divert her by flicking her a charming smile, but it did not quite reach his amazing eyes. "It's quite good, actually, and possibly the only use I have in the kitchen. I got us some pastries from your favorite place." Jumping to his feet, he went to grab a cup and poured some coffee. "How do you take it?"

"A little cream and sugar. I thought the English drink only tea."

"We mostly do." He found the creamer and poured some in.

"The sugar is on the counter next to the coffee."

"Thanks." He handed it to her and a spoon before reaching for the pastry box. "We are spending the day and night together."

Her brows lifted. "I could swear that was an order instead of a question."

His grin flashed, and this time, his eyes twinkled. "I figured after the marathon sex, we would be on the same page. And I am assuming you are off today."

"I have things to do."

Sitting across from her, he gave her a pointed stare. "Such as?"

"Really?"

"Yes. What could be more important than us spending time together?"

Picking up her coffee cup, she pretended to consider. "Let's see, there is laundry, housework, oh and my hair is a mess-"

"You can do those things any time." He dismissed arrogantly.

"So speaks the man who has never lifted a finger to tidy up after himself."

His eyes twinkled. "Why don't you have a maid? And don't tell me you cannot afford one."

"I cannot afford one."

His eyebrows lifted at that.

"Okay, fine. I can afford a helper, and I prefer to call them that since we no longer live in the eighteenth century. But I don't like people in my space and feel uncomfortable having people pick up after me."

"Why not?" He asked carelessly. "It frees you up for more important things."

"You think that what a helper does is not important

?."

"I did not say that, specifically."

"What are you saying, specifically?"

"How does a simple question turn into an interrogation and make me into the bad guy?"

"It lets me know your mindset, and I am beginning to see that you are a snob."

"Don't call me that." The smile had faded from his mouth, and his expression had become wintry.

"I see that's a sore point for you." She contemplated, sipping the coffee and eyeing him over the rim. "Let me guess, this has to do with your parents."

"I don't want to talk about them." Finishing the coffee, he rose. "Will you stay?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Would I be asking if I didn't?"

"You are upset."

He shook his head and turned away; he went to look out the window. "I apologize. It's not you; it's just family stuff." Turning around, he offered her a smile, his mood changing. "I would like you to stay, Tessa."

She was about to pursue the topic but decided against it. She had heard the tail end of the conversation and realized he had been talking to his dad. "What shall we do?"

"How about going back to bed?"

"Seriously?"

"Dead serious." Moving forward, he pushed the box away and took her hands.

"I am not finished."

"You were not very hungry as it is."

"How do you know that?" She protested as he pulled her up against him.

"Because you were playing with the food." His hands cupped her face, his expression one of bemusement. "And seeing you wearing my shirt and nothing else makes me yearn to take it off you."

"How do you know I am not wearing anything else?" She asked breathlessly.

"I saw your nipples when you were standing inside the doorway." His hands wandered down her back to cup her butt. "And I can feel your bare skin through the material."

His mouth drifted to her neck to nibble, sending shards of fire throughout her body. When he lifted the hem of the shirt and cupped her bare flesh, she melted.